Prime Minister Le Minh Hung visits Laos: Bringing relations between the two countries to even greater fruition.

Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh. (Photo: Viet Duc)

The impetus for promoting economic cooperation and joint development between the two countries.

Highly appreciating the official visit of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung to Laos, Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh stated that this visit is of paramount importance to the special relationship between the two countries.

The visit aims to further strengthen the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic linkage between Laos and Vietnam, and Vietnam and Laos, thereby making the relationship between the two countries increasingly fruitful. At the same time, the visit reaffirms the determination to implement the agreements and common understandings of the high-level leaders of the two Parties and States in the past.

This visit also follows a traditional event after both sides completed their respective Party Congresses, including the 12th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam .

According to Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh, this is also the first visit to Laos by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung since his election as Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The visit also contributes to promoting the implementation of cooperation plans and programs, especially those agreed upon at the recent 48th Session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee. It can be said that this visit is of great significance.

Furthermore, Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh noted that the Vietnam-Laos relationship is a great friendship, a special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic alignment. The solid political foundation and special solidarity between the two countries were painstakingly built by the beloved leaders President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, and President Souphanouvong, and have been continuously nurtured and strengthened by subsequent generations of leaders.

Furthermore, the two countries continue to strive for economic cooperation commensurate with their political relationship, especially in the context of pursuing their current socio-economic development goals. Both sides prioritize comprehensive development, focusing on promoting increasingly strong economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and investment.

Thanks to the impetus from the leaders of both countries, bilateral trade turnover is expected to reach nearly US$3 billion in 2025; in the first eight months of 2026, this figure is projected to reach approximately US$1.65 billion. Investment between the two countries has also increased, especially Vietnamese investment in Laos. Currently, Vietnam is the leading investor in Laos. Since the leadership of both countries took the lead, the number of projects has increased, especially high-quality projects in the fields of energy, minerals, agriculture , services, etc., creating a foundation for further expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries in the future.

In that spirit, Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh hopes that Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's visit will be an important contribution to promoting economic cooperation and mutual development between the two countries.

According to her, the governments of both countries have jointly promoted many cooperation projects in the past. In the future, cooperation will continue to expand, especially in the areas of digital economy, e-commerce, innovation, energy, agriculture, and the development of high-quality human resources.

The two countries also focused on creating favorable conditions for businesses and entrepreneurs from both sides to conduct on-site surveys and understand each other's capabilities, thereby jointly implementing agreements and directives from high-level leaders.

A delegation of outstanding officials, teachers, and students from Khammouane province (Laos) visited Quang Tri province for cultural exchange, professional development, and sharing of experiences in management, teaching, and learning. (Source: Consulate General of Vietnam in Savannakhet)

Strategic alignment

Vietnam and Laos are emphasizing the need to deepen their relationship of "great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic alignment." According to Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh, the meaning of "strategic alignment" reflects the guiding principles of the two countries' leaders: all projects and agreements must be implemented and translated into concrete results. To implement this, the diplomat suggests focusing on four main areas:

Firstly , economic and infrastructure connectivity is absolutely essential, as the two countries share a border stretching over 2,000 km. The development of transportation, logistics, energy (electricity), border crossings, and digital infrastructure plays a particularly important role in bringing the two countries closer together and meeting the demands of the times. This is the most crucial aspect of connecting the two countries.

Secondly , human resource development is the most important area in the long term for both countries. Both sides have agreed to further strengthen educational cooperation. Recently, the two countries have increased the number of scholarships for Lao students to study in Vietnam to over 1,300 per year, while maintaining annual exchange and research programs for Lao leaders. The goal is to train human resources from leadership levels to students, helping this workforce, especially in Laos, improve their capacity in science, technology, management, and other fields, thereby consolidating the friendship between the two countries. Both sides have also agreed to establish a Lao-Vietnam Friendship University in Laos, which is currently under development.

Thirdly, developing science, technology, and digital transformation. In the context of a rapidly developing digital economy, Laos and Vietnam need to promote the exchange of experiences and cooperation in data, e-commerce, innovation, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure, serving the lives of people and the operations of businesses.

Fourth , strengthen connections between localities and peoples of the two countries. Bilateral relations should not be limited to the central level but should extend from the central to the local level, with the participation of the people. It is necessary to promote exchanges and visits between provinces and cities of the two countries so that the people become increasingly close. In particular, it is necessary to create opportunities for the younger generation to interact and learn, gaining a deeper understanding of the special relationship between the two countries.

If young people lack understanding and empathy, this relationship will be difficult to sustain in the future. As the previous generation of leaders has passed away, the younger generation needs to inherit the traditions that their predecessors painstakingly built. This is a relationship formed by history, continued and developed to remain ever vibrant and enduring for generations to come.

"I believe that this is precisely the goal of the leaders of both countries when adding the concept of 'strategic engagement' to deepen the relationship, meaning that words are matched by actions, that actions are substantive and have concrete results, rather than just making declarations," the Ambassador emphasized.

The Lao Bao International Border Gate is one of the vital trade hubs on the East-West Economic Corridor. Currently, the Vietnam-Laos border includes 8 international border gates, 7 main border gates, and 18 sub-border gates. (Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper)

May friendship forever resonate.

Infrastructure connectivity is considered one of the pillars of the strategic relationship between Vietnam and Laos. Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh assessed that transportation and logistics connectivity is the most important link in the current development stage. Laos has implemented a regional connectivity policy, transforming from a landlocked country into one connected to the region and the international community.

Over the past period, leaders of the two countries have discussed and agreed on priorities to promote infrastructure connectivity, including major projects such as the Hanoi-Vientiane expressway and the Laos-Vietnam railway project. This is valuable support from Vietnam, helping Laos become a regionally connected country and facilitating the expansion of maritime logistics transport through Vietnamese territory.

She argued that if the aforementioned projects are implemented effectively, especially the connecting routes which are being urgently constructed and could be completed by 2030, the transportation of goods from Laos to the sea or connecting with the region will be of higher quality, reducing transportation time and costs, shortening delivery times, and ensuring product quality when reaching the external market.

Besides transportation, the electricity sector also plays a very important role in economic development. Laos has strengths in hydropower, wind power, and solar power. Laos hopes that Vietnam will continue to pay more attention to investing in the electricity sector, especially large-scale wind power projects.

Regarding border trade, the two countries share over 2,000 km of border, with many localities adjacent to each other. This creates favorable conditions for the further development of border trade, while also facilitating trade and business cooperation for people in border areas, as directed by the leaders of both countries.

Ambassador Khamphao Ernthavanh expressed his desire to continue cooperating with Vietnam to develop Vietnam-Laos connectivity routes and to soon realize the projects agreed upon by both sides. I am confident that we will successfully connect in terms of transportation infrastructure, energy, trade, and digital transformation, creating an important foundation for strengthening the strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos. Upon completion of these initiatives, the quality of cooperation will be enhanced, bringing the greatest benefits to the people of both countries, while also strengthening coordination in regional and international forums.

It can be said that the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic alignment between Vietnam and Laos are the most important foundation, especially in political and economic cooperation. This relationship, formed in history and diligently nurtured by the leaders of both countries, serves as a foundation for today's young generation to inherit, develop, and successfully achieve future goals.

"No force can shake the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos," the Ambassador affirmed.